The Gait

I am endlessly fascinated by people’s gaits. They are so varied and different but they all accomplish the same task. I haven’t walked without crutches or wheelchair since I was 12 so I’ve all but forgotten the feeling of walking. It is a completely foreign skill to me other than I see people do it all the time. I can’t stand because I can’t support weight and I have terrible balance. The idea of your body being completely vertical and then managing to propel yourself forward without constantly falling astounds me. How do you do it? How are you not surprised at how easily it comes to you?

A few years ago at some physical therapy sessions I stood in a standing frame which basically sandwiches you in until you’re standing. It’s a whole different point of view seeing the world from a standing position. Someday when I win the lottery, which is the only way it’s ever going to happen, I will get one of those things for myself. Anyway, my world view is low which means I have the vantage point to notice and compare people’s gaits. When I am behind a group of people all I see it butts and how their legs move. It’s sort of an ironic fate to be forced to notice how other people walk when you can’t.

Walks vary but there are a several standards. There’s the shake-it-but-don’t-break-it hip swinging walk, the bounce-on-the-balls-of-the-feet so it looks you’re in a hurry, the slow-and-steady trying not to be noticed, the heavy heal-toe stomp, the head-forward-running-without-running, and the limp. Limps come in different forms including the hip limp, the knee limp, the foot/ankle limp. Limps intrigue me because I know that when people limp they are probably more conscious of how lucky they are to be able to walk. The hip swingers don’t think about how lucky they are but I do.

I’m not envious all the time. It’s not a constant thought in my head but there are some days when I see someone skipping or running with ease I think about how I used to run and try to feel it again and I can’t. Like I said, I’m endlessly fascinated by people’s gaits.